Head of a man with a beard (ca. 1755–93, Met-Objekt 1283)
Original title: Head of a man with a beard
kurzbeschreibung
A bearded man in profile, his curly hair swept back, rendered as a crayon-manner engraving in red ink by Louis Marin Bonnet. The work dates from around 1755 to 1793 and features striking facial features.
Description
The man's profile dominates the sheet. His hair is curly and swept back, his beard thick and wavy. Cheekbones stand out, the nose is broad. Horizontal strokes fill the background and model light and shadow across face and hair. A uniform reddish-brown pervades the entire view, produced by the stroke technique. Dense, variably placed lines give texture and form.
Context
Louis Marin Bonnet, a French artist, was admired for his work in the crayon manner, a technique that imitates chalk drawings. The inscriptions 'Rubens del' and 'Donat' indicate that this sheet is a reproduction after a painting by Peter Paul Rubens. Such engravings made works by famous masters accessible to a wider public. The dating around 1755–93 covers Bonnet's active period in the 18th century.
Impact
Through the varying, dense hatching and the uniform red tonality, the image appears lively and physical. The bearded man exudes a calm, dignified presence, reinforced by the emphasized facial features.
Technique
A crayon-manner engraving with red ink. In this technique, fine, dense strokes are used to create the impression of chalk or pencil drawings. The sheet has been trimmed and measures 15.2 × 11.3 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)